Millions of dead fish at King Harbor in Redondo Beach

Los Angeles Times, March 8, 2011

Authorities in Redondo Beach are investigating what killed millions of fish over the last day at King Harbor Marina.

Fish, including anchovies, sardines and mackerel were floating lifeless in Basins 1 and 2 of the north side of King Harbor Marina.

"There’s basically fish everywhere you go in the harbor," said the harbor's assistant manager, Jason McMullin, who added that there were reports that a red tide may have driven the fish into the harbor in massive numbers where they died because of limited oxygen.

Redondo Beach public works officials were dispatched to the harbor to investigate further but did not have immediate comment.

The fish were attracting huge flocks of seagulls and other birds.

[Updated at 12:15 p.m.: Redondo Beach officials said initial assessments suggest oxygen depletion in the King Harbor basins caused the massive fish die-off.

City Manager Bill Workman said city officials with the help of marine experts would help determine if there was any environmental issue involved. Tests are now being performed on the water as officials begin removing the dead fish, which city officials estimated to be in the millions.

“There are no visible signs of any toxins that might have caused [the die-off] and our early assessment is that this was oxygen depletion,” Workman said. “This is similar to what we experienced five years ago but that was distinctly a red tide event but there’s no discoloration of the water, no associated foaming in the waves, Workman said. “There are no oil slicks or leaking of substances into the water.”

Workman noted that the harbor had been teeming in recent weeks with bait fish that even after their deaths “had no signs of degradation.”]

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Nusa Tenggara Fishermen Catch Whale Shark

Jakarta Globe, March 07, 2011

Locals surround the whale shark in Sape, Bima, West Nusa Tenggara
after the one-ton fish was caught in fishermen's net. (Photo Source SCTV)

West Nusa Tenggara fisherman caught a whale shark in their nets on Sunday as they were fishing off the coast of Sape, Bima district.

The locals killed the shark, which is considered to be a delicacy, SCTV reported.

The fishermen said the 8 meter shark, which weighed 1 ton, was the biggest fish they had caught in the last few years. They said that four sharks had approached their boat, but the other three escaped.

It is not the first time for a whale shark to become trapped in fishermen’s net in Indonesia.

In January, a 15 meter whale shark weighing two tons was stranded on the beach of Pangandaran, West Java. Local fishermen dragged the shark from the water to the shore and killed it for its meat.

In March 2009, a 6 meter whale shark was caught in Palu, Central Sulawesi.

The whale shark is the largest living fish species and is found in tropical and warm oceans. It lives in the open sea and has a lifespan of about 70 years.

Whale sharks feed mainly on plankton, microscopic plants and small animals.

Rp 950b targeted for Maluku fish export project

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/01/2011

The government is targeting to invest Rp 950 billion (US$108.3 million) in efforts to make Maluku province the world’s biggest seafood exporter by 2015.

Previously, the Maluku governor requested Rp 16 trillion for the purpose, but the amount was declined.

Up to Rp 120 billion will be channeled toward fish farming.

Fishing from the ocean dominated 2009’s fish production, Fadel said.

“This catching method will be changed to an industry more focused on farming,” he said.

The government is planning to build fish ports to support the export activity. Up to 12 areas in region are likely to be developed for this purpose, he said.

The government will allocate Rp 2 billion to build ports, but its plan will also need at least Rp 2 trillion in investment.

According to the government, Maluku has the potential to produce 1.6 million tons of fish a year.

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